Potatoes make me happy. That might sound ridiculous, but it’s true. Potatoes are the ultimate comfort foods, and most of my favorite comfort foods are prepared with potatoes as a main ingredient. Scalloped potatoes, french fries, Irish stew with potatoes, potatoes au gratin, potato latkes and hash browns–the list of wonderful ways to prepare potatoes is endless. I even have a recipe that combines scalloped potatoes with potatoes au gratin that’s to die for.
There are millions of ways to prepare potato salad, and trust me when I say that I’m somewhat of a potato salad connoisseur. The following are my two favorite simple potato salad recipes. One is a more traditional, classic version of potato salad, while the other is a spicy, Southwest-inspired salad featuring corn and black beans. Both are delicious.
Want to know my ultimate, simple, potato salad recipes secret? It’s cayenne pepper.
Okay, maybe it’s not truly a secret–a lot of people use cayenne pepper on potato salad. But this is new to me, and ever since I tried it, I can’t eat potato salad without it. Sprinkle a generous amount of cayenne on top of potato salad and be prepared to have your world rocked. It’s lethally good.
The best part of these simple potato salad recipes are that they can be prepared in 30 minutes! If you’re looking for timesaver, super simple potato salad recipes, you’ve come to the right place. Try them out, and let me know what you think in the comments. And whatever you do, don’t forget to try the paprika!
Classic Potato Salad
2 lbs. red potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 cup of mayonnaise (you can use light mayonnaise as well)
1 tbsp. yellow mustard
2 tbsp. white vinegar
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. black pepper
1 cup thinly sliced celery (about 2-3 stalks)
¼ cup chopped white onion
4 hardboiled eggs, chopped
Boil water in a medium sized pot, and add potatoes. Reduce heat and simmer for up to 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Drain and set aside the potatoes.
In a large bowl, mix the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper together until blended. Then add the cooked potatoes, celery, onions and hard boiled eggs. Lightly mix the ingredients together. Refrigerate immediately for at least six hours before serving. Serves 6-8.
Southwestern Potato Salad
¼ cup lime juice
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 tsp. cumin
2 tbsp. chopped cilantro
1 tbsp. chopped chipotle pepper, in adobo sauce
2 pounds of small red potatoes with the skins, boiled and quartered
1 15.4 oz. can of yellow corn, drained (you can also use 1 cup of frozen or fresh corn, if you prefer)
1 15 oz. can of whole black beans
1 large tomato, seeded and diced into small squares
1 small red bell pepper, finely diced
1 small white onion, finely diced
Whisk together lime juice, garlic, cumin, cilantro, and chipotle peppers in a large bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients together and add salt and pepper to taste. Serves 8-10.
